Drive for toy farm structures



Dec. 4, 1962 D. COHN 3,066,437

DRIVE FOR TOY FARM STRUCTURES Filed 001;. 6, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet l S R m |\|ll 0 Q LL m w o M R o o o w WC 0 WM Q d H" d n w WM NN a 6 NW a 1 DY m B d A} M 1 R W Q mm 4% Q n WW w EN l I r M H} Q Em mm. wm R: mm L ir ww T .3 \EN Anne/v5 vs Dec. 4, 1962 D. COHN 3,066,437

DRIVE FOR TOY FARM STRUCTURES Filed Oct. 6. 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 0a vi 1 60/9/11" Marc A and Cari/5S /,7 TTO/QNEYS United rates Patent Patented Dec. 4, 1962 3,066,437 DRIVE FUR T9! FARM STRUCTURES David (john, 123 loieridge Sh, Brooklyn, Nfiil. Filed st. 6, 1969, Ser. No. 6%,937 3 Claims. (Cl, 46-39) This invention relates to toys, and more particularly to toys which are mechanically operative and designed to be instructive and educational as well as amusing, whereby at an early age, by being able to manipulate as well as to observe, a child can learn about simple mechanical and electrical functions and manifest an interest and any potential talent with which he may be endowed in these two fields of science.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a mechanical toy which simulates comparable equipment actually used in certain fields of industry.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mechanical toy which is simple in structure and operation and accurately resembles comparable commercial equipment which a child may have seen, actually or pictorially, but could not possibly begin to understand from a basic structural and functional standpoint because of its complexity.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a toy embodying simple, basic structures and functions which can be made inexpensively so as to render it adaptable for promotion and wide distribution, thus making it available to the largest possible number of children.

To this end, and in its broader aspects, the present invention contemplates a mechanical toy ensemble in the form of a reproduction of an industrial plant including one or more structures each equipped with an operating facility, and the provision of a source of power for operating the facility, the source of power and the facility being formed with complementary members, of a quick detachable coupling, whereby the source of power may be readily connected to and disconnected from the facility at will. More specifically, the invention provides a mobile, self-contained power unit having a rotatable drive shaft equipped with one member of an irregular shaped shaft and socket coupling, and the facility is in the nature of a winch equipped with a power take-off device formed with the complementary member of the coupling.

Other objects, and the features of the present invention, will be clear to those skilled in the art from a reading of the detailed description which follows.

In the accompanying drawings, the invention has been shown merely by way of example and in preferred form and obviously many variations and modifications may be made therein which will still be comprised within its spirit. It is to be understood, therefore, that the invention is not limited to any specific form or embodiment, except insofar as such limitations are specified in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away and partly in longitudinal vertical section, of the power unit;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the structure shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional elevation, taken on the planes of the line 3-3 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view, taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of one form of application of the invention.

As already stated, the present invention is shown in the drawings by way of example and, referring to FIG. 5, the plant layout comprises a building equipped with a facility generally designated by the numeral ii, and associated therewith is a power unit 12. The facility ll is shown as a hoist or lift 13 operated by a winch 14 connected thereto by a cord or cable 15.

Details of the construction of the facility ill have not been shown because they do not form a part of the invention claimed. Moreover, the invention contemplates a more elaborate layout of several buildings equipped with different facilities, or a plurality of different facilities housed within a single building. Regardless of the layout, however, the invention contemplates a single, mobile power unit adapted to be connected to any one of the facilities selectively for operating the same, and it is believed that an understanding of the invention may be had from a description of one of its simplest forms.

In general, the building 1% simulates a barn having a loft 16 communicating with the space below through a trap 17 formed in an upper flooring 1d. The lift 13 comprises a carriage 1) suspended by cables 2ft from trucks on a track (not shown) secured to the under side of an overhead support 21, the track extending from the outer end of the support 21 through an opening 22 in the side of the barn it} and into the barn as far as desired, being suspended therein from the flooring 18. The cord 15 has one end secured to a drum 23 of the winch i i, and a suitable length of the cord is wound on the drum, from whence it leads over pulleys (not shown) to the lift The cord 15 may be secured to the lift 13, or to the rear truck thereof, or it may be connected with the cables 24 in any well-known manner so that the lift 13 can be raised and lowered relative to the track as well as adapted for translation along the track.

The winch 1 comprises the drum 23 rotatably mounted in a support 24 secured to a side wall 25 of the barn it! near the door 26 thereof and in vertical alignment with the track suspension for the lift 13. As shown in FIG. 5, the drum 23 of the winch 1% is extended to project outward beyond the side wall 2-5 of the barn and is formed with a socket member 27, the opening of which is substantially square in cross-section, although it may be of any desired irregular or polygonal cross-section. The socket member 27 is adapted to receive a correspondingly shaped shaft member 29 arranged on a drive shaft of the power unit 12, and together the shaft and socket member 29 and 27 form a power take off coupling whereby the Winch id is driven by the power unit 12.

Turning now to the power unit 12 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, it is believed necessary only to describe it generally and point out that it is in the form of a mobile unit adapted to be connected to the power take off coupling member of a power driven facility. Thus, the power unit 12 comprises a base 30 which supports a side-enclosing housing 31 and a cover 32 removably secured to the housing by a tongue 33 engaged in a slot 34 formed in a bracket 35 upstanding at one end of the housing 31 and a bolt and nut connection 36 at the opposite end of the housing 31. Within the housing, an electric motor 3''] is mounted on brackets 38 and 39 rising from the base 3 3 and is driven by electric power supplied from a dry cell battery it; supported in a rack 41 to which access is gained by removal of the cover 32. The operation of the motor 37 is controlled by a tilt switch 4-2 arranged in circuit (not shown) between the battery and the motor. The motor 37 has an armature shaft 43 equipped with a pinion gear 44 which, through a linkage of reduction gears 45 effects the rotation of a gear 46 fixedly mounted on a drive shaft 47. The drive shaft 47 extends fore and aft of the power unit 12, being supported in the housing 31 at bearing points 48, 49 and 5t and at one end in an outboard bearing support 51. A pulley wheel 52 is fixed to the drive shaft 47 between the bearing point 50 and the outboard bearing 51. At its opposite end, the drive shaft 47 is equipped with a power take off including a coupling shaft member 29 formed to fit into the coupling socket member 27 of the winch 14. The coupling member 29 extends from a base 53 drilled as at 54 to fit on the end of the drive shaft 47 with a friction fit sufficiently snug to supply power to the winch 14 but capable of slippage in the event of undue resistance, whereby it serves as a safety release for overloads.

In operation the power unit 12 is moved into position to be coupled to the facility by insertion of the coupling shaft member 29 in the socket member 27. By actuation of the switch 42 the operation of the electric motor 37 is controlled to rotate the drive shaft 47, which in turn operates the winch 14 to effect movement of the lift 13. The lift 13 may have articles placed therein and then be moved by the winch into the barn iii, say to a position below the trap 17, through which the articles may be removed from the lift 13 and placed on the upper flooring 18, the lift then being returned manually to the position shown in FIG. 5 while the electric power to the motor 37 is turned off. Other facilities may be operated by the power unit 12 merely by coupling it thereto and, of course, any facility may be simply or elaborately constructed to perform intended functions, it being the intention here merely to explain the present invention in a clear and concise manner.

As already stated, the present invention is shown and described merely by way of example. Obviously, different forms of coupling may be employed and different facilities may be provided for operation selectively by a common power unit. For instance, the pulley wheel 52 may be connected to a machine to be driven in addition to the connection 27, 29 so that two facilities may be operated at the same time. Of course, either the pulley wheel 52 or the stub shaft 29 may be utilized separately.

However, the invention is not to be limited in its scope or mode of application except as expressly limited by specific recitation in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A toy ensemble comprising a reproduction of the physical layout of an operational plant structure, at least one power driven facility operatively associated with said structure, driven means for actuating said facility, a self-contained external portable power unit having a drive shaft, said drive shaft having a free end extending outwardly of said unit, power take off means, said power take off means having such a friction fit on said free end of said drive shaft as to effect slippage therebetween in the event of an overload on said power take off, a quick detachable coupling connecting said power take off to said driven means, and said coupling comprising interfitting shaft and socket members on said power take off and said driven means, said members having complementary non-circular cross sections.

2. A toy ensemble comprising a reproduction of the physical layout of an operational plant structure, at least one power driven facility operatively associated with said structure, driven means for actuating said facility, a self contained external portable power unit, said power unit including a base, an electric motor mounted on said base, electric battery means for actuating said motor carried by said base, a drive shaft, means operatively connecting said drive shaft to said motor for actuation thereby, said drive shaft having a free end extending outwardly of said unit, power take off means, said power take off means having such a friction fit on said free end of said drive shaft as to effect slippage therebetween in the event of an overload on said power take off, a quick detachable coupling connecting said power take off to said driven means, and said coupling comprising interfitting shaft and socket members on said power take off and said driven means, said members having complementary non-circular cross sections.

3. A toy ensemble comprising a reproduction of the physical layout of an operational plant structure, at least one power driven facility operatively associated with said structure, driven means for actuating said facility, a self contained external portable power unit, said power unit comprising a housing, an electric motor, means mounting said motor in said housing, electric battery means for actuating said motor, a rack mounting said battery means in said housing, said housing including a readily removable portion comprising a cover for said battery means and providing easy access thereto, a drive shaft, means operatively connecting said drive shaft to said motor for actuation thereby, said drive shaft having a free end extending outwardly of said housing, power take off means, said power take off means having such a friction fit on said free end of said drive shaft as to effect slippage therebetween upon occurrence of an overload on said power take olf means, a quick detachable coupling connecting said power take off to said driven means, and said coupling comprising interfitting shaft and socket members on said power take oif and said driven means, said members having complementary non-circular cross sections.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,044,735 Pelton June 16, 1936 2,973,214 Bates et a1. Feb. 28, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 726,723 Great Britain Mar. 23, 1955 

